The Red Thread

In 1848, the Communist League published a short pamphlet to introduce itself to the world: The Communist Manifesto . You’ll recognize the names of its authors, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Today we’re re-introducing this incredibly influential text, which has only gained relevance since it was written.  As we watch the neoliberal order die before our eyes while dangerous figures like Trump jost...

With the NYC mayoral elections just two months away, we’re talking about one of the most important developments for the Left right now: Zohran Mamdani’s win in the Democratic mayoral primary and his ongoing campaign to win the election in November. Mamdani’s mostly progressive platform speaks to the aspirations of working-class New Yorkers, and his mayoral primary victory reflects an important pro...

In this episode, we discuss the dire situation in Gaza and urgent need to end this genocide. Israel is advancing with its recently approved plan to invade and “take over” Gaza City. At the same time, Palestinians in Gaza are starving and being attacked at aid sites by the IDF, and the UN has declared a famine. Official figures say over 60,000 people have been killed since Israel's onslaught b...

As Donald Trump ramps up attacks on immigrant communities, he’s building the machinery for a far-reaching authoritarian project. In this episode of The Red Thread, we unpack how anti-immigrant rhetoric is being weaponized to supercharge ICE, recruit a new wave of agents, and quietly expand the domestic role of the U.S. military. From billion-dollar budget boosts and “Defend the Homeland” recruitme...

This month, we saw one of the most alarming escalations in the Middle East in years: the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, murdering hundreds of civilians in the process. This situation gives us a glimpse at the “Trump and J.D. Vance doctrine:” not stepping back from war, but using military power to bully other nations into submission — or to force them into wa...

In this episode, we celebrate International Workers' Day by looking back at how it started: in Chicago, in 1886, where tens of thousands of workers were going on strike and taking to the streets. One of their main demands was for an eight-hour workday, which was also taken up by workers internationally — and it sent capitalists into a panic in May 1886, when it seemed like that struggle might...

In this episode, we're talking about Severance, which Apple TV claims is its most-watched show ever. And it has a cult following, including us! There are so many angles to analyze this show from, but in this episode we're focusing on Marx's idea of the alienation of labor. So, let’s head down to the severed floor of Lumon. Here, the “innie” exists only to work. They’re cut off from...

In this episode, we’re continuing our series, “What we talk about when we talk about socialism.” We'll discuss key definitions about socialism, explore the challenges we face in the current stage of capitalism, and respond to the myths and misconceptions that capitalists use to insist that there are no alternatives — or that fighting for a society free from exploitation and oppression isn’t w...

In this episode of The Red Thread, we reveal Amazon’s true secret to success. Spoiler alert: it’s not about innovation, technology, or entrepreneurship, but something far older: capitalist exploitation. The are over a million workers who make Amazon run. They are subjected to long hours, mandatory overtime, surveillance, union-busting, and injuries caused by their work. They're paid a tiny fr...

In this episode of the Red Thread, we’re exposing the truth behind the anti-immigrant lies being spread as “common sense.” These myths about immigration aren't just misconceptions - they're deliberately being used by the ruling class to justify horrific policies and divide workers.  Since Trump’s return to office, his administration has unleashed a wave of anti-immigrant attacks — from m...

For our Valentine's Day edition of The Red Thread, Melanie and Emma discuss the "profoundly social" emotion of love from a revolutionary socialist perspective, with the help of Alexandra Kollontai's work "Make Way for Winged Eros: A Letter to Working Youth." The nuclear family unit and the "love" ties of marriage have been essential for capitalist production...

In this episode of The Red Thread, we're diving into how Marxism can be used to fight the interconnected systems of racism and capitalism. Black struggle has a rich history, from the fights by the first enslaved Africans to today's recent Black Lives Matter movement, Black struggle has been a driving force in challenging oppression and exploitation.  We break down the intersection of rac...

In today's episode, we recap Trump's first week back in office. From his inauguration full of billionaires and far-right politicians to executive orders attacking immigrants, trans rights, and public health, we break down how Trump's administration is setting the stage for a more aggressive capitalist and imperialist agenda. We discuss the bipartisan complicity enabling his policies...

Welcome to the Red Thread! This is the first episode in a series titled "What we talk about when we talk about socialism." We'll revisit key definitions of what revolutionary Marxists understand by socialism or communism, explore the challenges it faces in the current stage of capitalism, and respond to some of the false criticisms—or outright prejudices—that people who support capi...

Join hosts from Left Voice as they dive into the heart of U.S. and international politics through a socialist lens. In a time when a new Trump presidency is emboldening the Far Right and the working class is taking up a larger role in the political arena, The Red Thread offers a sharp, insightful, and concise perspective on the fight against capitalism, oppression, and the rise of the working clas...